Bart at Bart's Bookshelf has a lovely post on his book-buying ban, here. It got me to thinking.......how many of you put a ban on your book buying for the first part of this year? And more importantly, because that ban was most likely put into place because your TBR Mountain of Books is likely as big as mine (over 100 books, like Bart's), have you succeeded in reading any books that were on your TBR mountain yet?
I am happy to say - YES! However, I have to modify this by adding: I didn't give myself a book-buying ban. I know myself well, and I walk past Chapters after work, on my way home through downtown, every night. There is no way I can resist the lure of shiny new books!!! So, I confess that actually, my TBR might have ..........increased since New Year's Day. However, in my defense, I did read some books that were on the mountain already! Here is my somewhat sad total, since I should be at 16 books read today, and I'm only at 10:
Books read since Jan 1
taken off the TBR pile:
The Serpent's Tale - Ariana Franklin
The Face in the Frost - John Bellairs
Fearless Fourteen - Janet Evanovich
Arctic Chill - Artur Indridason
Farthing - Jo Walton
currently reading : The Red Breast - Jo Nesbo
Books added to the TBR Mountain since Jan 1 (ie books bought.....)
Late Nights on Air - Elizabeth Hay
The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
Magic for Beginners - Kelly Link
Lethal Legacy - Linda Fairstein
Grave Goods - Ariana Franklin
A Cure For All Diseases - Reginald Hill
***this never made it onto the pile, I bought it and started reading it the next day.
The Godstalker Chronicles - PC Hodgell *****Counts as 2 books
That's a difference of 0 to my TBR Mountain! I'm really thrilled with that!! It could have been much higher.....but I am making a point of reading what is on my TBR Mountain this year, and letting myself read (and buy) whatever catches my fancy. No rules. Just reading. So if my TBR Mountain looks the same size next winter as it does now, at least the books formerly on it will have been read and replaced by new books to read! This I think is my ultimate goal this year.
So how are you doing with your reading resolutions? Since my goal is 100 books read, I'm falling behind and for March, is my goal to catch up. Luckily for me, Carl's annual spring challenge Once Upon a Time IV (Yaaay Spring! Hurray Carl's Challenge)!!! is going to start on March 21, and I have some books on my TBR mountain I've been saving just for this:
The Book of Lost Things - John Connolly
Little, Big - John Crowley
Magic for Beginners - Kelly Link
The Naming - Alison Croggon
The Sea of Trolls - Nancy Farmer
Cry Wolf - Patricia Briggs
Urban Shaman - C. E. Murphy
Greywalker - Kat Richardson
and, I also confess that Patricia Brigg's latest paperback in the Mercy Thompson series is finally out, Bone Crossed, which I will be buying. Very soon.
There, they say confession is good for the soul.
So, how is your TBR mountain?
Oh, and what started all this? I opened my email this morning to find one from Amazon.ca, saying that finally, The Coffin Trail was sent to me on Friday, and I can expect early this week in my mailbox! Since I bought it in December, it doesn't really count for the new year slow-down, and I plan on reading it as well as Bone-Crossed as soon as I get my hands on them, so they shouldn't make my TBR Mountain fall over. Yes, confession is good for the soul!
Happy Sunday reading, my Gentle Readers!!
13 comments:
Aside from review books, I've only been reading books I own this year. I've read 29 books so far, so I think I'm doing well with my progress, and doing well with reading my own books. I haven't had any extravagent splurges, overall I've spent less than 50$ on books so far, which I think is a huge accomplishment.
Mine is certainly still a mountain. Despite being on a buying ban much of the later half of last year, I've bought a number of books this year so far. The good part is that I have read a large percentage of them already, but still. I don't NEED to buy more, I have plenty to read. :)
April: well done! 29 books already! It is an accomplishment. will you let yourself have a splurge later this year?
Carl: I don't know if it's a question of need vs want.....for many years I was too poor to buy new books every month. When I got my permanent job, one of the things I promised myself was that I could feel I had enough, when I could buy a book at each pay cheque. Sometimes it's not about need, but about what I love, and feeling content with my life. but I know what you've been doing with your financial plan, and it's been interesting and enjoyable to watch you go through it - it is an encouragement to me,anyway!
and besides, I get wiggly when my TBR mountain gets too small. I don't know why yet. But I probably could do with reducing it to only 100 books to read on it!!! lol
I resolved to read Moby-Dick and got that done early this year.
Wow, April's a reading missile!
Wahhh! I'm doing poorly, but I chalk it up to my lack of reading materials. One more month and I'll be back in the US and close to my public library and personal TBR pile! Yay!!
Go you! :D I'm still relying on the library for a ridiculously high majority of my reads...I just checked and out of the 57 books I've read, only 7 have been ones I own. And of that, 4 have been rereads! lol I'm saving my nice big owned TBR pile for when I don't have an awesome library system. ;)
oh must we talk tbr piles?? *groan* I have severly slacked off reading and don't know why! I have only read 10 bks so far this year and 3 of them are short books! Although I have read from my tbr pile that's a no brainer since every book I get automatically goes into that pile!
I have/ am cutting back severly the books I buy (but have a hard time at thrift stores when books are only 50 cents or a dollar! *groan*... but I am hoping to cut the tbr pile down this year.. yeah and I'd like to grow younger instead of older while I'm at it!
We are still following the financial plan and still seeing our debt reduce much more rapidly than ever before. It has been such a blessing to know that each month we have the money we need for everything, money to put in our "blow" category (which for me usually gets spent on books) and money at the end of the month that remains to be put on one of our credit card bills to pay it down quicker. I love that this plan allows for small indulgences as it helps with keeping us motivated.
I didn't buy for seven months last year, and I'll never do it again. I learned some things like not buying something unless I am quite sure I'll love it, but I missed buying books!
I'm interested in Arctic Chill, and I've been wanting to read Late Nights on the Air for ages.
I can't imagine setting a number goal. My reading is so leisurely.
I'm trying to stay away from the library for awhile, and work on my pile at home as well. Right now I'm reading the Pickwick Papers, and One Man's Castle, which is about a murder trial in Detroit in the 1920s (non-fiction). Good luck making it through everything on your shelf!
I don't think I dare do the calculation, not least because I bought a special offer of Heyer mysteries - 10 books, which all went on the TBR pile, and I had a splurge on 5 books (all secondhand) for a personal challenge that I've yet to blog about. My resolve when it comes to not buying books is pretty weak! I know just what you mean about the pile getting to small - wiggly is a good word for it!
Bybee: I know, I'm only at 12 books read this year so far!! I like that, a 'reading missile' for April, and no extravagances either! Congrats on reading Moby Dick. I think I read parts of it for a class on American LIt, but I couldn't read the whole thing. I think if I get Drood read this year, and a Charles Dickens actual novel (instead of just being about him) I'll have managed my 'new classic' to read! lol I'll go read what you thought about Moby.....Congrats again, though!!
Coffeegirl: Are you back yet? It must be hard to be away from libraries and your own stash of books. I tend to collect a pile wherever I go!! I hope you have a bookfest when you come back!
Eva: you and April are on a reading frenzy! I can only dream of that. 57 books read this year!!! That's amazing. and most borrowed. I've been thinking of using the library again, but I never get books read in my three week allotment and often take out books I then don't read.....so that I am reading books as I buy them is a personal challenge for me this year. I'm curious how i will do by the end of the year. And if you will start buying again! Well done though, that is amazing, Eva.
DesLily: TBR piles!!! TBR piles! See how they grow! See how they grow! you know, you and I and used bookstores, it's a bad idea. It's irresistible, that lure of 3 books for $5.00, or, 50 cents each...oh yes, I well know I can't pass that up! lol It's good to know you can't either, I don't feel so bad!! As for what you've read this year....mine isn't much better either. I don't know what's wrong, I should have read 8 books more by now. Not that I'm counting, but I'm determined to get to 100 books this year!
Carl: that is fantastic. It does help when you let yourself have the little luxuries that let you stay on your path, doesn't it? I think we're going to have to do something soon too, for our peace of minds. You are a real encouragement in this, you and your wife. Congratulations, Carl!
Nan: I've been quite poor on and off in my adult life, so now that things are better, I find it makes me feel like i have 'enough' when I can buy new books every month. going without buying taught me that while it's a luxury, for my peace of mind, it's something I really dislike going without. I like how you say you'll never do it again either!!
I don't usually set a limit or goal on how many books I'll read in a year. I've never made it to 100 books, and I want to see if I can. I think I'm encouraging myself to read more, since I think I could do more reading. I have a big enough TBR mountain! Mostly I want to make time to enjoy reading more!
Val: I know, making it through the pile when we have so many on it, is a good challenge too, isn't it? How are you finding The Pickwick Papers? I really need to read some Charles Dickens!
geraniumcat: Yaaay! I consider it a good weakness, books are balm for the soul and good for the brain!! lol I went to a neighborhood teeny tiny used bookstore that opened last year, and came out with three novels, with a bigger book already in mind, and a game for the kids, plus there was a whole section I didn't get to, and the store is so small it fits into my kitchen! But incredibly packed and *sigh* two blocks from our house!!! there was a reason I stayed away so long, now I've opened the door....
Post a Comment